“Good morning!”

The old man exclaimed loudly as he pushed his boat onto the beach, Jessica waving her hand in response, her other hand gripping her fishing net tightly. The old man grinned and pulled his load in, Jessica pushing her own boat out onto the open water. Starting the engine, the boat sputtered slightly before moving, Jessica breathing in the ocean air in relief.

She started to fish, the waves breaking at the bottom of her boat gently, the sun shining down on her back.

The atmosphere was so peaceful.

Something she never thought she would ever get to feel in this lifetime.

The fish flopped around on the bottom of her boat, Jessica grinning at the load she got today before deciding to return back. She wondered if there would be a new sweater waiting for her when she got home or maybe a new recipe for her to try out. The blonde pushed her fringe back and went through the same motions as the old man from before, the trawlers and longliners working far into the distance. People were milling around the beach and the pier, a carefree mood that was absent from the old days.

She reached her house in record time, the sun finally high in the sky and the seagulls squawking around her. Her home, a modest little cottage by the beach, was surrounded by grass and seashells, the children running past her front door happily and loudly. As though she heard Jessica’s arrival, the front door opened and Tiffany stepped out with a smile, her eyes curving in delight and her hands wiping against the front of her shirt.

Welcome back.

(Even though her tongue was no longer fused with the bottom of , Tiffany still retained some difficulty speaking. A discreet doctor that they saw said that she may never speak clearly again as the unfusing method was crude, made mostly to cause pain rather than to give back the gift of speech, the nerves never really having the chance to regrow and reconnect with the brain.

But Jessica did not care, merely embracing this impediment as another part of Tiffany.)

Jessica smiled brightly.

“I’m back.”

Did you have a good day?

“Yep. I saw that old man again today. I think he thinks I’m feeding an army with the amount of fish I catch.”

You were the one who wanted to trade with the marketsmen.

Jessica merely grinned and dragged her haul into a crate placed in front of her home. She made sure that the box was locked before straightening up, her arms wide open. Tiffany’s face scrunched up slightly and she shook her head.

“Oh, come on. No hug?”

Not even if you paid me. Go take a shower.

Jessica pouted.

“Seriously?”

Seriously. Go.

Grumbling, Jessica followed Tiffany into the house, her pout turning into a smirk when a thought popped into her head. Leaping, the blonde crashed into the brunette’s back, eliciting a sort of gurgle like scream from Tiffany. Jessica grinned as she nuzzled into the back of Tiffany’s neck, the younger woman laughing and crying at the same time.

Jessica!

Tiffany attempted to pry the arms away from her neck. Jessica retaliated by wrapping her legs around Tiffany’s waist, the brunette effectively giving the blonde a piggy back ride. Squealing again, Tiffany dropped to the ground, her face turned away from Jessica’s and she groaned.

Jessica! You stink!

“No way! I smell like the sea!”

You smell like dead fish. Jessica!

The both of them rolled on the floor and Jessica ended up detaching forcefully when Tiffany landed on top of her, the brunette’s nose wrinkled and her eyes tearing from laughter. Grinning up at her, Jessica reached out to tuck the wayward fringe back, Tiffany bracing herself on the floor to avoid the hand.

Shower!

Laughing, Jessica gestured for Tiffany to get up. The brunette glared at her and rose from the ground, stalking away as quickly as she can, her back tense as though expecting Jessica to jump on her again. The blonde whistled and moved towards the woman, arms looping easily around Tiffany’s waist.

(She does this because she knew that Tiffany will never really get angry at her, that this playfulness was new for them and they often try to have it as often as they can before someone takes it away from them.)

Tiffany turned around and made a biting motion, shooing Jessica towards the bathroom.

You know I hate the smell of fish.

Jessica called out mischievously.

“I thought you loved me more though!”

Ducking the sudden pillow aimed at her face, Jessica laughed before closing the bathroom door, a protection against other projectiles aimed at her head.

I love you but not with the fish.

Still giggling, Jessica stripped with ease and shouted through the closed door.

“I thought love was supposed to be unconditional!”

She heard nothing over the shower but Jessica was sure that Tiffany would have something planned to get back at her the moment she stepped out of the bathroom.

But her days were still peaceful and she never took any of her days for granted.

*

It has been ten years since the war.

Panem is still peaceful, each of the citizens mindful of their ways and how they communicated with each other. The Girl on Fire married the golden boy who made bread and she soon became a mother. The Capitol’s Darling’s widow lived with the wild girl from District Seven, both raising a boy so like his father. The man who made the Girl on Fire lived out his days in solidarity, only appearing in family gatherings made by the golden boy. There was another victor but most citizens have no idea what happened to her. They speculate that she’s gone into hiding, maybe settled down in a remote location somewhere.

And then there was another.

Another girl who escaped with her loved one.

Another girl who ran without anyone knowing.

She lived on the beachside with her companion, living out her days as a the nice lady who fished way too much. She was kind towards children, polite towards her peers and always kept to herself. Her companion was rarely seen out of the house and even then, it was always with the nice lady.

But people who saw them often commented on one thing.

That they were very much in love.

And that they were very much in their own world.

It has been ten years since the war.

Ten years since they knew peace.

They hope that it will be many years of peace to come.